This Is What an Ultramarine Is

Lucretius Corvo picked up a stack of documents and casually placed them on the other end of the table.

Then, he took a deep, deep breath.

The air didn't have a sour, foul smell; it only carried a slight odor of disinfectant. This was perfectly acceptable to Lucretius; he even somewhat liked the disinfectant-scented air.

The long stone table was covered with such bound stacks of documents, each stack containing a hundred pages, almost like thick books, each page containing valuable data and information.

These were all the results of their hard work; the five hundred Ultramarines had not slacked off in the slightest during these days. They did more than just build houses and plan schools; they even accomplished something that no one in Nostramo had ever thought of before.

They conducted a census.

The result far exceeded everyone's expectations—after several successive the Great Purge, a total of 232,335,681 Nostramo were still alive.

Considering the harsh living conditions and extreme difficulties faced by civilians, this number is simply unbelievable. However, for the five hundred Ultramarines, who have accumulated considerable experience in the field, this number made them keenly aware that there was still much more that could be done.

Nostramo's natural environment is extremely harsh, almost nonexistent, but it is a mining world, which means that there is absolutely no shortage of jobs for ordinary people.

Moreover, since it primarily produces Adamantium, a mineral so precious and irreplaceable that the workers enjoy excellent benefits. Therefore, just as the Ultramarines had predicted, the enthusiasm of the people of Nostramo was quickly ignited.

With nobles and gangs either dead or imprisoned awaiting Judgment, the people of Nostramo finally cast aside the two mountains that had long weighed on them and began to earn their own living through hard work.

Although many still believe that the Ultramarines, the Auxilia, the officials, and even the Mechanicum are actually another group of great nobles, Lucretius believes that the situation will immediately improve in just a few years, once the newborn is born.

Everything a person experiences in their childhood can completely change them, and the Ultramarines are currently compiling teaching materials.

They did not follow the Macragge tradition of offering courses in the same way, such as teaching mathematics first, followed by art, literature, theology, and philosophy, and allowing students to choose three physical education classes in their spare time.

Lucretius understood very well that adapting to local conditions was crucial.

Nostramo, a remote planet in the Ghoul Stars, possesses such valuable mineral reserves that only fourteen courses are currently offered throughout the entire Nostramo.

Firearms use, repair and maintenance, hand-to-hand combat, battlefield medicine, mineral identification, mechanics and woodworking

Some of these courses have been rolled out across the planet, such as the spelling of Low Gothic or Nostraman – in addition to these, there are other things like everyday life lessons that have been introduced.

Lucretius personally compiled a pamphlet called "Common Sense," which took less than five days from writing to publication and was distributed throughout Nostramo within the next two weeks.

Besides telling ordinary people some common sense about life that they should know, this booklet also contains other content.

For example, if you encounter difficulties, you can seek help from the nearby patrolling guards; if there is a conflict between you, try to avoid bloodshed, otherwise you will be punished by law; and most importantly—the savior of Nostramo.

Lucretius solemnly wrote down the deeds of Konrad Curze Curze and the Eighth Legion. After all, he was an Ultramarines and understood the role that such subtle propaganda could play in people's daily lives.

Furthermore, he was well aware that Nostramo would inevitably become a recruitment center for the Eighth Legion in the future.

You could easily guess this from the courses he and the other Ultramarines were implementing. Of course, Lucretius didn't know if he would be thanked for doing this; he simply did the job in the "Ultramarines" style, nothing more.

It is worth mentioning that all of the above was accomplished by five hundred Ultramarines leading a bureaucratic system of over a thousand people in just one year.

This achievement was quite remarkable, but in Lucretius Corvo's view, it was nothing out of the ordinary—that's how we Ultramarines do things.

Now, it's time to verify the results of our work.

He straightened his uniform, pushed open the office door, and walked out.

The temporary office, made from composite materials sourced from Macragge, is not just a modular design that makes it easy to install and disassemble; it also boasts excellent sound insulation, so good that he could hear the howling wind outside only when he stepped outside.

It was winter in Nostramo, and the already harsh environment had become even worse—although the priests of the Mechanicum were indeed trying to improve the environment, the cold of Nostramo seemed to have little to do with the weather.

It's cold normally, but it gets exceptionally cold in winter. In the past, many people would freeze to death on Nostramo every year at this time, not just civilians, but also gangs.

This year, Lucretius hopes that no one will die, and he has made great efforts to achieve this.

He began to walk, and within minutes he had walked from his makeshift office to the entrance of a mine. This was the third mine in Quintus Hive, located in what was formerly the old city.

The once dilapidated ghost town, devoid of any light, has been transformed. Many tall buildings have sprung up out of nowhere, giving one the feeling of being in another world.

The dilapidated buildings were powerless against the construction machines provided by the Cult of Mechanicum, and the few that could put up any resistance were simply blown up by the Ultramarines with explosives. After the foundations were rebuilt, a large living area was planned around the Third Mine.

This is the workers' living area, and also a place for them to relax and have fun—however, there may only be one such place at present.

A large public bathhouse.

Yes, the bathhouse.

Lucretius didn't see anything wrong with it—he had personally supervised the construction of the baths, so there were absolutely no issues with the quality, and there was absolutely no "Macragge style" in any aspect. He had also left considerable room for later generations to add their own designs.

As for why bathhouses were established...

Well, Lucretius thinks that's quite necessary.

Nowadays, miners' working conditions are hundreds of times better, with protective clothing, three meals a day, and warm clothes, but this cannot obscure the core nature of their work.

Mining is not only dangerous but also extremely arduous. It demands immense physical strength and tests one's mental fortitude.

Therefore, after much consideration, this bathhouse came into being.

A hot bath after work would undoubtedly relieve fatigue to the maximum extent and allow for a good night's sleep when he got home. Lucretius Corvo planned to observe its effects first, and then decide whether to extend it to the whole of Nostramo.

Lucretius hoped it would have the desired effect—the misfortunes suffered by the people of Nostramo had been too terrible, and now they deserved to live more like human beings.

After all, to be considered a human being, you at least have to look like one.

The Ultramarines sighed softly and walked into the mine. Without stopping, he went straight to the mine manager's office. The manager was from the Nightfall, a middle-aged Terran man with Terra, who was usually energetic and very serious.

Lucretius knocked twice on the door and, after receiving permission, entered. The first thing he saw was the mine manager, who was engrossed in writing—he had somehow acquired a pair of glasses and was now writing furiously, while a Servitor in a red robe stood by his desk.

"Director Hadali," Lucretius Corvo greeted softly, "How's the mine doing this month?"

The man called Hadali raised his head. His mustache was still neatly trimmed, but his eyes behind his glasses looked strangely weary. He looked at Lucretius Corvo, seemingly dazed, and it took him several seconds to realize who was asking him.

"Ah, Lord Corvo," the official said wearily as he rose to his feet.

"The mine harvested 31,000 tons of Adamantium this month, and we're still tallying the yields of other minerals, such as coal or iron ore. Also, please don't mind my appearance. The workers are incredibly enthusiastic; they demand to start work at 5 a. m. every day, so I've had to cut back on my sleep to accommodate them."

Lucretius subtly averted his gaze, while simultaneously clearing his throat. "You can apply for leave, Director Hadali. At least I can cover your shift today."

"No, sir," the middle-aged man said wearily, sitting down. "After all, you are all very busy. I just hope the next supply fleet can arrive soon. Our team of only a little over a thousand people is simply not up to the task."

The Ultramarines opened his mouth, as if to say something, but couldn't utter a single word.

He had just discovered a problem: while the Ultramarines hadn't felt anything amiss during this period, and even felt the workload wasn't high enough, for ordinary officials, this workload seemed excessive.

He stood there awkwardly, momentarily regretting his decision to visit the mine manager that day. Fortunately, the awkwardness didn't last long. The simple communication system clipped to his collar saved him.

"Sir," an Ultramarines said to him over the comms, "Come immediately to Quintus's helipad. The brothers of the Eighth Legion —no, the Midnight Blade —and Lord Konrad Curze Curze have returned, bringing news of our Primarch."

"I'll be right there," Lucretius said.

He left the office immediately.

There's one or two more chapters.